Especially aware of the dangers that faced unoccupied youths growing up in their Detroit neighborhood of Conant Gardens, the Yancey's set out to keep their children as busy as possible between cub scouts, music lessons, youth choir, and any other church activities. Nurturing their son's early passion for music, Jay was always enrolled in some kind of music class, excelling on the piano, violin and cello, before moving on to the drums. But it was the lure of the boom-bap which ultimately moved him from the church pews to the studio.
"When I heard Run DMC's 'Sucker MCs' and Whodini's 'Big Mouth', it made me curious to how the beats were made. Those songs were the first time I heard the beats that weren't melodic - just drums. Being someone who was taking drum lessons at the time, that made me real curious. That led me into deejaying, which slowly led to me deejaying parties and that eventually led me into production."
A fortuitous meeting with another talented Conant Gardens resident provided Jay with the direction necessary to pursue his dream. "Fortunately I ran into this cat just walking in the street, literally. This guy named Amp Fiddler. He just called us out and from that first day he actually showed all of us how a studio works and things like that. He had a little pre-production studio in his crib. He was like, 'Whenever you want to, come by the crib.' I started going over there messing with beats."Building on the experience he received at Amp's studio, Jay was determined to form a group which reflected the eclectic nature of his influences. "I heard about T3 and Baatin, and they were supposed to be the illest emcees at the time. And I thought I was, so I wanted to challenge them. To make a long story short, we just hooked up after that. The chemistry was right." Their group Slum Village gave Jay the platform to create a sound which was uniquely mid- western in its melding of jazzy, east coast influences with the glossy, bounce of west coast hip-hop.
Via another timely assist from Amp Fiddler, Slum's demo found it's way into the hands of Q-Tip, who immediately recognized a kindred musical spirit in Jay and offered the young producer a management and production contract. "It was like a dream come true, if you could ever, ever hear anybody say that. I just couldn't believe it. I love Tribe and De La and then this guy Tip called my crib! Matter of fact, the first time he called, I wasn't home. I missed the call! I was hurt. I thought that was it! But, he called me the next day. Next thing you know, I'm in New York." within months, Jay found himself producing tracks for a who's who of underground hip-hop: The Pharcyde, Busta Rhymes, De La Soul, Keith Murray, Mad Skillz, and of course A Tribe Called Quest.
"I was just riding the wave. It was still part of the dream to even be there. They even asked me creative questions about the album [Beats, Rhymes, and Life]. It's just unbelievable, man! These are the three ultimate niggas to me. They sat me down and invited me to these meetings and I felt like I was a part of that shit. Whether the album did good or not, it was to me one of the best experiences of my life."
Upon returning to Detroit, Jay found himself as the star of the city's burgeoning hip hop scene. His beats were the conduit for a diverse crop of MC's who gathered around the famed Hip Hop Shop, including Phat Kat, 5 Ela, Proof, Eminem, and a young Elzhi. His extended periods away from home had been difficult on Slum Village, but with Jay back in the fold and a renewed focus they set out to record their first album
"We decided to do that Fantastic album, and we did it in like two weeks. Everything was done. We were selling that shit out of boxes within a couple of weeks." Fan-tas-tic Vol. 1 became an underground classic, relentlessly dubbed and traded by fans in the days prior to file sharing. Innovative and playful, the album featured a string of hip hop classics including "Players", "Look of Love" and the brilliant James Brown adlib mash-up of "I Don't Know".
While his growing number of imitators were content to pick up the scraps of the fledgling neo-soul movement, Jay soon became the nucleus around which a group of like-minded, progressive artists would form, creating some of the best music to emerge from the post Golden-Age of early-nineties hip hop in the process. Dubbed the Soulquarians, Jay's beats would provide the key inspiration for this eclectic group's best work: The Roots' Things Fall Apart, D'Angelo's Voodoo, Erykah Badu's Mama's Gun, Q-Tips's Amplified, and Common's Like Water for Chocolate.
Originally intended as a breakbeat record, Jay's first solo album Welcome 2 Detroit provided the first opportunity to display his full range as a producer, MC, and vocalist. Seamlessly blending live instrumentation with programmed beats, W2D reflected his numerous influences and styles- from synth-heavy techno and grimy street anthems to breezy bossa nova. Stepping to the forefront as an MC for the first time, Jay introduced his alias J Dilla, and with it a more confident, street-edge rapper would emerge.
At a professional crossroads after a label deal with MCA collapsed in 2003, Dilla bypassed the mainstream altogether to unleash a flurry of new material: a collaborative album with Madlib entitled Champion Sound, and his own solo project the Ruff Draft EP, a muddy, lo-fi epic of uncompromising rawness. "I did it in four or five days, turned it in and had wax in ten days. If I'm not doing beats for somebody, I make stuff for me to drive around and listen to, and that was one of those projects. I was just doing me. That's why it was called the Ruff Draft EP". "There'd be days when I wouldn't eat at all because I'd be in the basement working all day. Even after being in the hospital so long, I had to fight with the doctors [to go home] because being away from music was starting to get to me."
Dilla relocated to Los Angeles in 2004 to re-energize himself and focus on his career. But by the end of the year, he would again be hospitalized. Undergoing debilitating dialysis treatments 3-4 times a week, Dilla was bedridden for long periods of time causing his hands and legs to swell dramatically, making walking difficult without assistance. He lost 50% of his body weight. During this time he was diagnosed with Lupus, a debilitating blood disease which causes the immune system to attack healthy tissue and for which there is no cure. He was released from the hospital in March 2005, only to be readmitted later that summer. Using equipment set up in his hospital room, Dilla began work on what would become his masterpiece, Donuts, a sprawling, back-to-basics instrumental album filled with emotional, heartfelt testaments to life and mortality that brought him full-circle to his beginnings as young producer chopping up breakbeats.
That Fall, Dilla embarked on a European tour alongside his mother and friends, rapping to sold-out audiences from a wheelchair. It would be his final farewell to the fans who had shown their love and support for so long. Upon completion of the tour and another stay in the hospital, Dilla returned home. He handed off the masters for his still-unfinished solo LP The Shining in time for his upcoming birthday.
On Tuesday, February 7, 2006, his 32nd birthday, Donuts was released. He spent the day at home with friends and family. Three days later on February 10, James Dewitt Yancey passed away in the arms of his loving mother Maureen. He was put to rest the following week, on Valentine's Day. As mourners gathered around his final resting place high in the hills of Los Angeles to say their goodbyes, a lone heart appeared in the cloudless sky above, fitting tribute for the man who above all else lived life to do what he loved. And what he loved, he did better than anybody else. For that, we will be forever thankful. Thank you Jay Dee.
Jay Dee's complete discography can be found here: http://www.stonesthrow.com/jdilla
It should be noted that there are/were other artists that have gone by the name Jay Dee. One example is a mid-70's soul/disco Barry White protoge named Jay Dee.
Drop
Jay Dee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let me freak the funk,
Obsolete is the punk that talk more junk than Sanford sells
I jet propel at a rate that complice their mental state
As I invade their masquerade
They couldn't fade with a clipper blade
10 years in the trade is not enough, you can't cut it
I let you take a swing, and you bunted
Of exceeding, my name is Bottie Brown and I'm proceeding, leading,
They try to follow but they're shallow and hollow
I can see right through them like an empty 40 bottle, of O.E.
They have no key, or no clue
To the game at all, now they washed up
Hung out to dry
Standing looking stupid, wondering why
(why man?)
It was the fame, that they tried to get
Now they walking around talking about represent
And keep it real, but I got to appeal
Cause they existing in a fantasy when holding the steel
[Slim Kid 3:]
Rock a bye baby,
Listen to my heart pumping to a fine ravine
Of all things it's a vain of a shrine
All missions impossible are possible, cause I'm
Heading for a new sector 365 days from now, I'll
Wipe the sweat from my brow
And each and every true will stick, or fall from the sky of my cloud nine
From homies all the way to chics, no matter how fine
Controlling is a swollen way to wreck a proud mind
You hold it in your hands and watch a man start crying
Tear after tear in the puppet man's hands
Every time you take a stance you do the puppet man's dance
And the worlds at a stand-still
Deep in broken mansville, trapped in the moat with an anvil, still
Killing yourself, and dogging ya health
You ain't amphibious, so grab a hold of yourself
[Knumbskull #1:]
Shit is-shit is ill, my flow still will spill
Toxic slick to shock you sick like electrocute
When I execute, acutely over the rhythm
On those that pollute, extra dosages is what I gotta give em
Got em mad and trembling
Cause I been up in my lad assembling
Missiles, to bomb the enemy
Because they envy me, and the making of my mad currency
Currently I think we're in a state of an emergency
Cause niggas done sold their souls, and now their souls is hollow
And I think they can't follow
They can't swallow, the truth because it hurts
This is how I put it down, this is my earth, my turf
The worth of my birth is a billion, and you know what time it is
I'm going to make a million
The lyrics to Jay Dee’s song “Drop” are a powerful and compelling commentary on the state of the rap industry, with the artists’ frustration coming through in their harsh criticism of those who claim to be part of the genre but aren’t genuine. They start off by taking aim at phonies who “talk more junk than Sanford sells”: in other words, people who talk about being tough, but are all talk and no action. Bootie Brown lays down some brutal lines here, saying that he’s so good at what he does that he can’t be beaten: he “jet propels” at a rate that “complicates their mental state,” and leaves MCs with “doubt of exceeding.” Slim Kid 3 jumps in next, and takes a more introspective approach, talking about the strength it takes to truly be yourself in the rap game. He talks about the importance of being original and not following the crowd; of being strong in the face of adversity and not “killing yourself, and dogging ya health.”
Knumbskull#1 rounds out the track with a verse that’s all about power and influence. He talks about how he’s amassed huge amounts of wealth and knows that he’s worth a billion dollars. He raps about assembling missiles to bomb the enemy, and about how those who talk the talk but can’t follow through are just “hollow” shells who can’t handle the truth. In essence, the track “Drop” is a warning to those who would try to fake their way through rap: the artists here are saying that they’re not going to stand for it, and that they’re going to keep pushing the boundaries of what it means to be a true MC.
Line by Line Meaning
Let me freak the funk,
Allow me to groove to this music
Obsolete is the punk that talk more junk than Sanford sells
Those who brag and talk nonsense are outdated and irrelevant
I jet propel at a rate that complice their mental state
My fast-paced style overwhelms and confuses them
As I invade their masquerade
By performing, I expose their fake personas
They couldn't fade with a clipper blade
They have no chance against my skills
10 years in the trade is not enough, you can't cut it
Even with a decade of experience, they don't measure up
I let you take a swing, and you bunted
I gave you a chance to prove yourself, but you failed
For an easy out, I leave mc's with doubt
I easily defeat other rappers, leaving them unsure of their abilities
Of exceeding, my name is Bottie Brown and I'm proceeding, leading,
I excel at what I do and am forging ahead, setting the standard for others to follow
They try to follow but they're shallow and hollow
Others attempt to mimic my style, but lack substance and authenticity
I can see right through them like an empty 40 bottle, of O.E.
Just as I see through a clear bottle, I can see through their superficiality
They have no key, or no clue
They lack the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed
To the game at all, now they washed up
They never had a grasp on the rap industry and are now irrelevant
Hung out to dry
Left exposed and without support
Standing looking stupid, wondering why
Feeling embarrassed and confused about their situation
(why man?)
Asking why things turned out this way
It was the fame, that they tried to get
They focused on fame rather than developing their craft
Now they walking around talking about represent
They pretend to support their community and culture for recognition
And keep it real, but I got to appeal
They claim to be authentic, but I must cater to my audience
Cause they existing in a fantasy when holding the steel
They have an unrealistic idea of what it means to be a rapper
Rock a bye baby,
Begin to relax and listen to my lyrics
Listen to my heart pumping to a fine ravine
Hear my passion and energy in my flow
Of all things it's a vain of a shrine
The most important thing to me is my artistry
All missions impossible are possible, cause I'm
I am confident in my abilities to overcome any obstacle
Heading for a new sector 365 days from now, I'll
In one year, I will move onto a new stage in my career
Wipe the sweat from my brow
Take a moment to rest and reflect on my successes
And each and every true will stick, or fall from the sky of my cloud nine
Those who truly support me will remain loyal, while others will fade away
From homies all the way to chics, no matter how fine
My fanbase includes both male and female supporters of all backgrounds
Controlling is a swollen way to wreck a proud mind
Being overly controlling can harm one's self-esteem
You hold it in your hands and watch a man start crying
Having control over someone can cause them emotional distress
Tear after tear in the puppet man's hands
The one being controlled feels like a puppet, with no agency or control
Every time you take a stance you do the puppet man's dance
When you stand up for yourself, the one controlling you reacts in a predictable way
And the worlds at a stand-still
Everything feels stagnant and unchanging
Deep in broken mansville, trapped in the moat with an anvil, still
Feels like being stuck in a cycle of poverty and hardship
Killing yourself, and dogging ya health
Pushing oneself to the brink of exhaustion and neglecting one's well-being
You ain't amphibious, so grab a hold of yourself
You can't keep going without consequences, take care of yourself
Shit is-shit is ill, my flow still will spill
My rhymes are outstanding and will continue to flow
Toxic slick to shock you sick like electrocute
My rhymes can be dizzying and overwhelming like a shock
When I execute, acutely over the rhythm
With precision, I rap to the beat
On those that pollute, extra dosages is what I gotta give em
I am determined to combat those who spread negativity, even if it takes extra effort
Got em mad and trembling
I can cause anger and fear in my opponents
Cause I been up in my lad assembling
I have been working hard, putting in my time
Missiles, to bomb the enemy
My rhymes are like missiles, targeting those who oppose me
Because they envy me, and the making of my mad currency
Others are jealous of my success and wealth
Currently I think we're in a state of an emergency
We are currently facing a crisis or a dire situation
Cause niggas done sold their souls, and now their souls is hollow
Others have sacrificed their values and beliefs for personal gain, leaving them feeling empty and fake
And I think they can't follow
They aren't capable of keeping up with me
They can't swallow, the truth because it hurts
The reality of their situation is painful to accept
This is how I put it down, this is my earth, my turf
I am in control and dominate this industry
The worth of my birth is a billion, and you know what time it is
My value and potential earnings are immense, and everyone knows it
I'm going to make a million
I am determined to achieve great success and wealth
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DERRICK STEWART, DERRICK LEMEL STEWART, EMANDU WILCOX, EMANDU IMANI RASHAAN WILCOX, ROMYE ROBINSON, TREVANT JERMAINE HARDSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Anthony Montiel
J Dilla never ceases to amaze
SomeOrdinaryPlayer
J Dilla Impresses me
SomeOrdinaryPlayer
Ahmad Jamal Impresses me
R.I.P
Rhys
@SomeOrdinaryPlayerJamal impresses me is a great beat btw
Chadoworld, LLC
Proof actually found and reversed the sample in a "10 minute beat battle" their crew use to have amongst themselves. Denaun (Mr. Porter) explained it in his Mass Appeal Rhythm Roulette.
But Dilla most certainly programmed the drums! RIP Proof & Dilla. Heavily missed!
foreal
DJ Head also talked about this in a podcast episode.
Chadoworld, LLC
@foreal Okay! Got to find that and check it out! Good lookin!
Jay Cole
dope shit
J Wizdum
That's really cool, Em has said Proof was pretty good at making beats, also cool that Mr. Porter had that info, he's an underrated producer overall
Chadoworld, LLC
@J Wizdum No doubt! Mr. Porter is Dope!